Different Types of Diving Suits
Diving suits are a kind of essential diving supplies. They are used to prevent the body from fast heat radiation or loss of temperature during diving. Diving suits can be divided into dry suits or wetsuits, which protect divers from the danger caused by reefs or harmful animals and plants.
Dry Suits
When wearing a dry diving suit, the body is completely isolated from the water. According to the water temperature, sweaters can be worn inside to strengthen the insulation. You must be trained before wearing a dry suit for diving in cold zones. In cold waters, the use of dry suits is more common. Of course, they are also more expensive than wetsuits, with styles mostly one-piece.
Dry diving suits are made of such materials as synthetic foam rubber, synthetic rubber and nylon. They must be equipped with special waterproof zippers and other accessories, such as a dual-valve system. They have one inflate valve on the chest for injecting air into the suit, and one exhaust valve, usually located on the upper left arm, for discharging air out of the suit. The use of dry diving suits requires special training to learn how to control and use inflation valves.
The way to maintain a dry suit is to soak it in water and avoid sunshine after diving. It is better to store it in a ventilated and cool place as much as possible. The zipper should be lubricated regularly, and the suit should not be folded for a long time to prevent synthetic foam rubber from creases that cannot be recovered.
Wetsuits
Wetsuits are the most commonly used diving suits, made of synthetic foam rubber (neoprene). The thickness can be from 2mm to 7mm. By trapping the water between the suit and your body, the water is heated by your body, thus preventing the loss of your body heat. A fitted wet diving suit can reduce the flow exchange of water inside and outside the suit as much as possible, and has better insulation.
At present, the most common diving wetsuit fabrics are nylon cloth and Lycra cloth. The central lining of these two fabrics is foamed neoprene. Therefore, as long as the thickness is the same, wetsuits made of either of the two fabrics have the same warm-keeping effect. One difference is that Lycra wetsuits have better wear resistance and elasticity, and the diving wetsuits made of Lycra are less deformed and have longer service life than nylon wetsuits. But in the market, nylon diving wetsuits are also very popular, mainly because their prices are relatively low, while Lycra wetsuits are relatively more expensive. Because Lycra cloth has many colors to choose from, if you want your diving suit to shine in the water, then Lycra wetsuits will be a better choice.
How to Select a Diving Suit?
Usually, a swimsuit or dive skin can be worn when the water temperature is above 28°C, while a wetsuit is recommended when the water temperature is between 10-28°C. The thickness (2mm/3mm/5mm) or types (shorty, full body, one piece or two piece) of wetsuits can be selected according to the actual temperature. A dry diving suit should be worn when the water temperature is below 10°C.